“The rib eye.”
“Okay, get your steak and we can share my chicken. I have to save room for my cheesecake.”
Drake nodded, distracted by the skin peeking out through the slit in her dress. He reached out and brushed a hand over her knee. “I want to take you home.”
“Yeah? I want you to take me home. But we have to stay, at least until your father gets his award.”
“Drake?”
He turned at the sound of his name being called. Howard and Dawn Harris approached the table. Though the couple were colleagues of his, he couldn’t stand either one of them. They were nothing but trouble, and had caused many problems at work.
“Is that you, Love?” Dawn said in a saccharine tone.
Love smiled brightly at them. “Yes, it’s me.”
“You clean up nice,” Dawn said.
Love tapped a finger on the table. Drake knew she couldn’t stand Dawn, either. “How are you two?” she asked.
Drake picked up his glass of cognac and raised it in greeting. “Hi, Dawn. Howard,” he said drily.
“We’re good,” Dawn replied. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Why not?” Drake asked. “My father is winning the award of distinction.”
“I heard that you two are seeing each other now.” The other woman folded her arms over her chest.
“We’re married,” he said. “Happily. But you know that, right? You’ve been the one spreading rumors about us around the hospital.”
Love’s eyes widened, but she played along. “Which is surprising to us because you don’t know anything about our relationship.”
Dawn’s cheeks turned red and she nervously clutched her purse strap. “Who said I did that? I rarely even think about you.”
Love piped up, “Oh, how wonderful. I don’t think about you, either.”
Without another word, Dawn pulled Howard away in a huff.
Drake smiled at Love. “You’re brilliant.”
She looked at him, her eyes sparkling in the dim lighting. “Well, you married me. I guess that makes you brilliant, too.”
CHAPTER 17
Love looked up when Drake walked into the bedroom. “Hey,” she said, setting her pen down on her book. “You’re home earlier than I thought.”
“Yeah, I’m tired.” He undressed, then slipped on his pajamas.
He sat on the edge of the bed, bowed his head. She crawled toward him and hugged him from behind, pressing her lips to his cheek. “Do you need anything? I made dinner.”
Drake kissed her hand, held it against his mouth. “You are too good to me. I don’t deserve you.”
“Yes, you do. We deserve each other.” She brushed her lips against his. “I can warm up some food for you.”
Some women hated the thought of taking care of their men, but Love embraced it. She loved cooking for Drake, and making sure that he was eating well. It was relaxing to her, and not that different from how she’d been with him before everything changed.
He shook his head. “No, I’m good. I ate at the hospital.”
It wasn’t like Drake to turn down food. Especially food she made. He loved her cooking. It had been a busy week for them, and they’d barely seen each other. All week Drake had been acting distant, too. She couldn’t figure out why, though. Part of her worried that he’d reconsidered everything. When she’d asked him, he told her he was just tired. She’d known him long enough to know when he wasn’t being entirely truthful, which concerned her, because he’d never lied to her before.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, Love.” He stood up. “I’m going to take a shower.”
The next morning, Love woke up to an empty bed. Drake had withdrawn the night before and it really concerned her.
She walked downstairs, hoping to find him in the kitchen or the living room. No Drake. Just then, she heard the front door open.
Drake rushed in with a cup of coffee. When he spotted her, he shot her a stiff smile.
“Hey,” he said, dropping his keys on the table. “What are you doing up so early?”
Love shrugged. “I was looking for you. Where’d you go?”
“I went to the hospital to check on a patient.”
Love couldn’t tell if he was lying about the patient, but something was definitely wrong. “Do you have to go back?”
“Not for a couple hours. I came back to get some sleep.”
Love stretched and walked over to Drake. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she kissed him. “Want to watch TV or do me?”
Drake smirked. “I’d love to do you, but I’m going to choose sleep.” He smacked her lightly on her butt, and disappeared up the stairs.